The Art of “Cooking” Raw Food May 22, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, Humor.Tags: Cooking, Health & Wellness, Food, Humor, Raw Food, raw food diet
36 comments
To counter health issues, my sister is on a Gluten Free Vegan diet with lots of Raw Food tossed into the hopper.
I equate Raw Food with crisp crunchy salads . . .
And fresh fragrant fruit requiring little or no preparation . . .
Or a plate of crisp crunchy crudités . . .
Or better still, a pairing of fresh veggies and fresh fruit . . .
But what do I know?
A few weeks ago, my sister went to a Raw Food Sampling Event in Mount Dora, Florida. Attendees received samples to try and recipes to take home but did not observe any actual food preparation because . . . preparing Raw Food would have taken too long.
I find that amusing.
As it turns out, many Raw Food Recipes take hours longer to prepare than their cooked equivalents. A few examples:
* White Basmati Rice takes 25 minutes to prepare in boiling water. On a Raw Food diet, rice must be soaked overnight to become digestible.
* White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies take 8-10 minutes to bake, all the while perfuming the kitchen with delicious aromas that make it hard to eat just one. In contrast, raw cookies must be dehydrated for hours before becoming (barely) edible. And, even after all that time, they are still hard.
No, not hard to resist. Just hard.
When I asked my sister about the sampling event, she said, “Interesting talk and good food, especially the crunchy raw live crackers.”
“Did you enjoy any of the samples enough to recreate the recipes at home?”
“No. Probably not. Too much work.”
“Don’t you find it ironic that RAW food takes longer to prepare than COOKED food?”
“I suppose.”
“At least they didn’t call it a Raw Food “Cooking” Demo. That would have been oxymoronic.”
Aah . . . that’s better!
What are your favorite Raw Food “Recipes”?
Smoothies? Salads? Fresh Fruit? Or something more involved?
Related Articles: The Raw Food Diet, Overcooked (David Katz, M.D.) * Raw Food Diet (WebMD) * Pros & Cons of a Raw Food Diet (Prevention)
You Deserve A BREAK Today February 18, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Fun & Games, Gratitude, Happiness, Health & Wellness.Tags: Fun & Games, Gratitude, Happiness, Health & Wellness, Reward
50 comments
The busier our days, the more we benefit from breaks and breathers to keep ourselves sharp and on the ball.
Think of it as a short Intermission in the midst of a concert.
Giving ourselves small (and large) rewards as we move through jam-packed days pays dividends in productivity, mood, and stress levels.
* After a meeting or completing a dreaded phone call, you might fix a cup of coffee or a pot of tea and enjoy it away from your desk.
* After wrestling and wrangling with the laundry, you might put your feet up and read a chapter of a delicious book or put on music and close your eyes.
Other mini-rewards: a 15-minute power nap, a soothing bubble bath, a brisk walk around the block, a refreshing smoothie, meditation, yoga, sitting in the park, stretching, cycling around the neighborhood.
Other ideas? What mini-indulgence would you choose?
Share below.
Larger multi-day tasks, once completed, call for more elaborate rewards and rituals. Something that will make you smile for 2-3 hours.
* After completing and filing your income taxes, you might browse in a bookstore or enjoy an art exhibit at a local museum.
* After cleaning out the attic, garage, or your closets, you might schedule time for a massage at the local Spa.
* After painting the living room or scraping barnacles off your boat, you might get tickets to a play.
Other 1/2-day rewards: a picnic lunch with wine, cheese, and pastries, a trip to the zoo, a movie matinée, a sunset sail, dinner at a new restaurant you’ve wanted to try, or maybe just curling up in front of a roaring fire with the latest best seller.
Other ideas? How would you choose to spend 2-3 hours rewarding yourself?
What about monumental tasks? What type of reward would you enjoy after landing a new job, moving into new digs, finishing your first (or fifth) novel, reaching your goal weight, or training for and competing in a marathon?
How about a short cruise . . . on a boat that doesn’t catch fire and drift around the Gulf of Mexico for days without adequate food and facilities. Or maybe a weekend get-a-way at a cozy bed and breakfast with your significant other. Or perhaps you’d enjoy a Stay-Cation to see the sights in your own backyard.
What’s that?
Yes, of course, completing the task is its own reward.
Give yourself a carrot anyway.
You’re worth it.
You deserve a BREAK today!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Ponderous & Ponderable Ponderisms December 7, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Fun & Games, Humor, Joke, Word Play.Tags: Fun & Games, Health & Wellness, Humor, Joke
18 comments
7 Thoughts on Health & Wellness
(1) I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.
(2) Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive.
(3) There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.
(4) Life is sexually transmitted.
(5) Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
(6) Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.
(7) Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
7 Thoughts on Home & Garden
(1) When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it a valuable plant.
(2) Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride; he sticks his head out the window?
(3) The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.
(4) All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
(5) How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire . . . or a fire in the fireplace?
(6) Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, “I think I’ll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?”
(7) In like vein, who was the first person to say, “See that chicken there? I’m going to eat the next thing that comes out of its backside.”‘
Aah . . . that’s better!
Source: e-mail from an unknown author (sent by Granny1947)
Related post: Hen Keepers (AgriGirl’s Blog)
Scatter Joy November 12, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Books & Movies, Gratitude, Happiness.Tags: Books, Happiness, Health & Wellness, Joy
41 comments
What is Joy? Where can we find it? How can we share it? Is it Peace? Harmony? An overwhelming feeling of complete and utter well-being?
In this tiny Treasury of Wisdom, the editors of The Secrets of Joy share quotes from around the globe and across the millenia to encourage us to find Joy for ourselves and share Joy with others:
Above all, share the gladness in its pages with others in your life. For joy, contagious as a smile, demands to be spread.
A few favorites from this tiny treasury:
* It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere. ~ Agnes Repplier
* Happiness is a how, not a what; a talent, not an object. ~ Hermann Hesse
* What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner. ~ Colette
* May you live all the days of your life. ~ Jonathan Swift
* There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
* Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks. ~ Samuel Johnson
* Scatter Joy. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Interspersed within its 4 chapters (Seeking Happiness, Simple Pleasures, Giving Joy, The Joyful), exuberant and cheerful illustrations encourage readers to smile as they reach for their own paintboxes.
Aah . . . that’s better!
A Series of Unfortunate Events August 29, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Bulletin Board, Health & Wellness, Life Balance.Tags: Health & Wellness, Life Balance, People
75 comments
I am sick.
And tired.
Exhausted. Fatigued. Frustrated. Stressed. Overwhelmed. Sad. Weighed down. Worn out. Wrung dry.
Not happy.
I’ll be back as soon as I can say:
Aah . . . that’s better!
Tigger is Sick April 21, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Amazing Animals, Animal Welfare, Health & Wellness.Tags: Blood sugar, Diabetes, Health & Wellness, Pets, Tigger
85 comments
Tigger has been lethargic for a week or so.
We took him to the Vet this morning.
His temperature was 104 degrees ~ way too high.
The Vet drew blood and collected a urine sample.
After sedating him via a gas mask.
Results are not good.
Tigger has a bladder/kidney infection.
He needs to be on antibiotics.
We gave him his first dose when we got home.
He spit most of it out.
The rest he vomited up a few minutes later.
The Vet said that ALL cats love the taste of this antibiotic.
Tigger disagrees . . . vehemently.
We just tried to dose him again . . .
No luck.
He ran and hid under the bed.
So that’s not going well.
And . . . that’s not all.
His blood sugar level is way too high.
He’s hyper-glycemic and may be diabetic.
We need to change his diet.
And cut out all his cat treats.
He is not going to be a happy kitty.
We take him back to the Vet on Wednesday.
If his blood sugar is still high, the Vet says he’ll need insulin shots.
Twice a day.
And we’ll need to monitor his blood sugar.
By taking blood samples from his ear.
OUCH!
I’m feeling overwhelmed by this news.
More like an Eeyore than a Tigger.
I’ll be back . . . later.
The After Math March 23, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Life Balance, Mindfulness.Tags: Clock, Death, Decisions, Food, Health & Wellness, Minutes, Time
57 comments
Imagine this . . . a clock on your wall showing the precise date and time you will die.
Your “finish line,” if you will.
Each time you make a positive, health affirming decision (exercising, eating right, etc.) and check the clock . . . you see that you now have MORE time.
When you make a negative, health-defeating choice . . . the clock subtracts minutes from your time balance.
Every time you smoke a cigarette, or eat a bacon cheeseburger, time speeds up and races towards YOUR finish line. Every time you go for a walk, time slows down and adds to your bank balance.
Instead of losing 30 minutes when going for a 30 minute walk . . . you come back to see that 45 minutes has been ADDED to your life span.
Instead of spending 5 minutes taking a cigarette break . . . you come back to see that 15 minutes has been SUBTRACTED from your life span.
A graphic depiction of The Decision & its After Math.
* Time is our most valuable and irreplaceable commodity ~ a bank account which mandates daily withdrawals, prohibits deposits, and pays dividends when we spend it wisely.
* It doesn’t really matter how fast you’re going if you’re heading in the wrong direction. ~ Stephen Covey
Many of the really bad decisions we make (as well as the good decisions we fail to make) stem from our inability to get direct feedback on the ultimate impact of the decision on our life timeline . . . or our lifetime line:
With thirty years on the clock, delayed gratification makes sense. With the finish line in sight . . . most would opt to “eat dessert first.”
I suspect that seeing the “after math” of our good and bad decisions on a more immediate basis would have a significant salutary effect.
What say you?
Inspired by Sidey’s Weekend Theme ~ The Decision and the movie, In Time.
For a related post on Eating Decisions ~ Why Do We Eat Too Much?
39 Tips For Living A BETTER Life February 27, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Health & Wellness, Mindfulness.Tags: Happiness, Health & Wellness, Mindfulness, Simplify Your Life
26 comments
I want to share two posts with you this morning that contain a total of 39 Tips for Living a BETTER Life . . . starting NOW!
The first, written by Courtney Carver, a woman surviving and thriving after being diagnosed with MS in 2006, outlines 10 areas to focus on when seeking to improve your health and happiness ~ Diet, Health Care, Water, Colors not Calories, Assess Stress, Debt, Do Good Work, Simplify, Exercise, and Live:
Permission to be Healthy ~ 10 Steps to a Healthier (and Happier) Life
The second article, written by Cat Li Stevenson, contains 29 tips for making the most of life . . . as and where you are: 29 Life Lessons in 29 Years
A few favorites from Cat’s article which tie in to recent posts here on SLTW:
8. No matter what we achieve – whatever our measuring stick of success may be – until our minds and hearts are at peace, there will always be the next chase. To expand on this thought: our understanding of ‘security’ can be less safe than it appears. It is valuable to question and examine our definition of safe.
9. Breathe. Practicing sitting comfortably in silence. A sanctuary awaits us in being able to be still, contemplate and reflect. We discover the most about ourselves when we dissolve our inner barriers, quiet the mind, and hear our inner voice.
18. There is no one-way to live. There is no box, no one-way to happiness, no how-to manual for your unique being. We shouldn’t be influenced by movies, stories, and fantasy. We don’t have to conform to societal ideals, norms, or our portrayal of ‘perfect’. Find your truth, your path, your heart and follow it.
22. Saying no is an important skill. It is one that allows us to protect our most precious resource: our time and energy. In my 20s, there was a period of time where I adopted a mantra of “Yes!”—yes to social gatherings, yes to busyness, yes to happy hours, yes to commitments that didn’t serve me. By saying no, I was able to gain back pieces of my day and my energy.
Breathe. Relax. Repeat.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Give the Gift of Hope November 27, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, People, Sustainable Living.Tags: Child, Gift, Gifts of Hope, Health & Wellness, Plan USA
46 comments
Want the perfect gift for that special someone ~ something as unique as they are . . . something that shows just how much you care?
Want to give a gift that can change the world? Give the Gift of Hope!
Gifts of Hope are powerful ~ they change the lives of women and children, build strong families, and add new vitality to struggling communities.
Gifts of Hope are more than knick knacks to unwrap, store, and dust ~ they are gifts that keep on giving (food, education, income, and livelihoods).
Gifts of Hope offer hope for the future and change for the good of the world.
Plan USA offers unique gift-giving opportunities for the Holidays for anyone who wants to extend their Holiday Gift List to make a real difference in a child’s life.
Nearly 120 million school aged children worldwide ~ most of them girls ~ are not enrolled in school. Education gives people the power to transform their lives. Our support helps Plan ensure that children acquire basic learning and life skills to realize their full potential:
Library in a Box ~ $60
Girl’s Only Latrine ~ $100
Girl’s Scholarship ~ $300
Classroom Essentials ~ $15
Bicycle for Bike 2 School ~ $50
In developing countries, one in four children lives in extreme poverty. Improving an individual household’s income is an absolute priority for those living on the margins of survival.
Our support helps young people acquire the skills they need to support their families and break the cycle of poverty:
Mango Tree ~ $12
Three Baby Chicks ~ $15
Dairy Cow ~ $200
Goat ~ $75
Endless Harvest ~ $40 (provides a family with seeds, simple farming tools, and basic lessons in pest and farm management . . . allowing them to reap enough food to feed their family and barter for other necessities)
With our support, Plan’s health programs help save thousands of lives each year, improving the health and survival of pregnant women and at-risk children in the neediest of countries:
Mosquito Nets ~ $30
Childhood Vaccinations ~ $25
Home Birthing Kit ~ $25
Clean Water for a Family ~ $75
To help Build A Better World in any of over 48 countries around the world:
Call toll free at 1-800-556-7918, or visit Plan USA ~ Hope
When you give a Gift of Hope in honor of someone special ~ a loved one, friend, colleague, or neighbor ~ they’ll appreciate your thoughtful kindness, compassion, and generosity . . . much more than the tacky Holiday tie or sweater someone else picked up for them at a crowded mall.
When we “do good” . . . we feel good.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Great Nutrition Starts On Your Plate June 14, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, Sustainable Living.Tags: Health & Wellness
14 comments
Want to feel better, look better, and be healthier?
Start by tossing out the out-dated and confusing Food Pyramid.
Then, fill 75% of your plate with fresh Fruits, vibrant Veggies, and gorgeous Grains.
To learn more, visit Agrigirl’s Blog and read Tammy’s post:
Want a few more resources?
* Choose My Plate ~ USDA site offers information on healthy foods to place on your plate, plus help in planning nutritious and delicious menus.
* Eat Well Guide ~ a free online directory of over 12,000 farms, grocery stores, and restaurants that offer local, fresh, and sustainable food in the U.S. and Canada.
* SlowFood USA ~ a national non-profit that believes everyone has the right to good, clean, and fair food. With over 225 chapters nationwide, Slow Food USA advocates for food and farming policy that is good for the public, good for farmers and workers, and good for the planet. It seeks to transform our food and farming system through the power of everyday people.
* Food Routes ~ a national non-profit dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food . . . the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to our tables.
* Local Harvest ~ a free nationwide directory of small farms, farmers’ markets and other local food sources in the US.
Related posts: A Month of Meatless Meals * Spinach Rice * 7 Reasons We Prefer To Dine In
